JEAN-Claude Juncker has arrived in Macedonia where he was welcomed by the nation's Prime Minister as he kickstarts his Balkan tour in a bid to expand the European Union.

Jean-Claude Juncker arrives in FYR Macedonia as part of the EU's expansion plan

Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev welcomed the President of European Commission European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn in front of the Government building in Skopje.

Jean-Claude Juncker is in town for a one-day work visit to FYR of Macedonia during his Balkan tour.

Macedonia and Albania are being lined up for full membership of the European Union with Mr Juncker also planning to visit Albania, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Kosovo this week.

The move is likely to prove highly divisive within the EU, with some nations, including Germany, reluctant, while others – Hungary for example – keep to see the process speeded up.

A recent EU strategy included a timeline for the states to potentially join the bloc by 2025.

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However, Mr Juncker ahead of the meeting said this was an "indicative date, as encouragement so that the parties concerned work hard to follow that path”.

Mr Juncker , later in a joint press conference with the Macedonian Prime Minister, said: “I wanted to start here in this small country of the western Baltics because your country is part of Europe geographically as Mr Zaev said but I think I want to go further and say your country is part of the history of Europe.

“We have to reconcile history with geography that is what EU member states and that is what we are going to do with your country.

“I’m glad to see your country has made great progress in the last few years and is coming closer to the European Union.

“But you are not there yet. There are a number of step to be taken.”

EPA

Jean-Claude Juncker in a press conference said that progress had been by Macedonia

The European Commission President added that he did not want to enter the country’s name debate as he said: “I’ll leave that to you to sort out the problem with your Greek friends.”

Macedonia and EU-member Greece are engaged in UN-mediated talks to resolve a 27-year-old dispute over the name of the former Yugoslav republic.

The EU’s roadmap says: “The EU door is open to further accessions when, and only when, the individual countries have met the criteria.”

European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas in a Twitter post noted that Mr Juncker's arrival came after FYROM officials had renamed Skopje's airport and a key thoroughfare, removing the reference to Alexander the Great, in a sign of good will.

Thousands gather in Athens for Macedonia naming protest

Sun, February 4, 2018

Protesters gathered in the Greek capital for a rally to protest a potential Greek compromise in a dispute with neighbouring Macedonia over the former Yugoslav republic's official name

Demonstrators wave Greek national flags during a demonstration February 4, 2018 in Athens

Mr Schinas tweeted: “Mr Juncker arrives in Skopje International Airport, then takes the Highway of Friendship.

“Best possible start of Western Balkans tour. Healing the wounds of the past, building a European future of stability and new opportunities.”

After FYROM, Mr Juncker will continue his tour with visits to Albania, Serbia, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo.

Talks with officials in each of those countries are expected to include reforms to strengthen rule of law, crack down on corruption measures, boost the independence of the media and bolster the economy.